Generator



Feb. 12, 1929.

S; O. LANGE GENERATOR Filed 601:. 1, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet Feb. 129

s. o. LANGE GENERATOR Filed Oct. 192

2 Sheets-Sheet -5- fli s/2707? V (972,066? Q5 2% patented Feb. 12, 19 29.

'NIED STATES PA T E NT OF F l GENERATOR.

Application filed-October 1, 1927. Serial No. 223,472.

This invention relates to generators for generating gas for use in life preserversand by appropriate var1at1ons as to proportions and other arrangements may also be applied for use on submarines and airplanes.

An object of the invention is to provide means for utilizing the principle of combining a solid substance with water to form a gas to inflate life preservers and other de vices, especially under conditions where. the lormation or the gas is required or needed for emergency uses.

()ther objects will appear from thefollowing description, reference being made. to the drawings, in which Fig. 1 is an outer plan view of the invention applied to a life preserver belt.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the device with I Fig. 8 is a View partly in section showing the interior construction of a form of. generator. w

Fig. 9 is an end elevation of the generator, the piston rods being insection.

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of a package of solid substance combinable with Water to form a gas.

Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 8 showing the modified construction of the generator Fig. .12 is a detail view showing a latch device for holding the mechanism of Fig. 11' in condition for operation. a

Fig. 13 is an enlarged sectional view of a valve for releasing pressure from the generator.

Fig. 14 is a detail view of a valvecontrolling the admission of water to the generator.

Theli'fe preserver belt in connection with which I have shown the embodiment of the present invention comprises a flexible belt 1 having a buckle 2 attached to one end. To the opposite end of the belt a section 3 of belt material is attached for engagement by means of glove fastener clasps or the like 4 with a.

separate piece 5 of belt material having holes 6 for engagement with the usual tongue of the buckle2. This separate belt section 5 is permanently connectedwith theend ofthe belt 1 only by a strip 7 of elastic material.

By this construction and arrangement the belt section 5 may be secured to the endof the belt 1 by means ofthe strip 3 and the fires tenerst forming a non-elastic belt designed and adapted to be worn around the waist. Whenv required to use the belt thefasteners 4: may be easily released by engaging a ring SJ on the free end oi the strip 3 and pullingthe same to effect separation of the. fasteners/l, thus. permitting the elastic section? to function and the length ofthe belt to be increased so that the belt canbe raised toencircle the chest otthe wearer. s V

To the outer side oft'the belt 1 a number oit'infiat-able gas compartments Qare secured. These compartments are madeofflexible impervious material and, when not in use, are folded bellows-like fiat against the belt .1, but, when charged with gas from the gen.- erator, expand fully.

The type of generator designed andadapted is specially for use in connection with belts comprising a housin including a compartment 10 and apair o parallelnon-communicating cylinders 11 and. 12 (Fig. 8). Each of the cylinders 11 and12 is provided with a water inlet 13 from which air is normally excluded by valves 14 held inclosedpositions by springs 15. From the cylinder 11 valve controlled inlet is provided tooneendof: the compartment 10 and :tromthe cylinder. 12'. a valve controlled inlet is 'providedto theopposite end or said compartment. Each of these inlets comprises, a passagelG opening from the respective cylinders into the com* partment 10 and having avalve 17 pressed, to closed position by a springlS and arranged to yield under the pressure of Water when water is admitted to. the cylindersll and 12. Communication from the endof the cylinder 12 near the valve 14 to thecompartment 10 is through a passage 19 in the wall of. the housing. As shown: the passage 19 opens. into the cylinder 12 near the outlet 13. p

A piston 20 is mountedin each of the cyl inders- 1 1 and 12. These pistons are con.- nected with a handle 21 by rods 22. Springs 23. connectingthe handle. 21. with the housing of the generator normally hold: the piss tons 20 near the water inlets 13, but leaving.

the opening to the passage 16 from the cylinder 11 andthe opening to the passage19 be tween the pistons 20 and: the ends of the cylinders 11- and 12, respectively.

' A package 24 of an appropriate; substance which, when combined with Water, terms agas is contained in the compartment 10.

Thus, when the handle 21 ismanipulatedto, draw the pistons 20 in a direction away from the valves 14, the pressure of water frcmthe outside will open the valves 14 admitting water to the cylinders-11 and 12 and thence to the compartment 10. In the compartment the wateucombines with the package of substance 24 to form a gas. A package 24 is insertablein the compartment 10 through an Opening to said compartment normally closed 9'andalso extends through the compartment 9 into the other compartment 9. The end of by a cap 25.

From one end of the compartment 10 .1 tube 26 opens into the adjacent, gas. compartment the tube within the compartment 10' opens into a cross tube '27 which is open at both ends, so that the gasgenerated in the com .partment 10 passes therefrom'to the gas compartments 9; Similarly, the opposite end'oi the compartment 10 has'a cross tube 28 thereon" opening'intoatube 29 which extends to andopens into one of the compartments 9. As shown5one or the compartments 9 equipped with a pressure release valveBO (Figs. 2 and 8) constructed similarly to the 30 to close automatically when the pressure is valve shown in Fig. 14 and arranged to open when the pressure in the gas compartments- 9 rises'above a predetermined maximum; but

reduced to the predetermined maximum.

Iprov1dea-valve to release pressure irom the compartment 10 inorder to prevent excessive inflation oi'the deviceshouldthe au- 'tomatic valveBO fail to function properly.

-normally held in position to close the open ings 32 by a spring-35. A button or handle 36 is attached to theouter end of the-stem 34 and constitutes means for actuating the stem As shown theouter wall of the compartment 10 has an outward extension 81 provided with A valve 33 is atopenings 32 (Figf 1 3). tached to the inner end'of a stem 84 and is to'open the valve 83.

' approp-riate' substance 'combinable with water to form a gas.

struction of the generator is shown.

In Figs. 11 and 12 a variation in thecon This generator comprises'a housinghaving a compartment 37 containing a package 38 of an 7 From the respective ends oi": the compartment 37 tubes 39 and 40 form passages forconducting the gas from the compartment 30. The tubes 39 and 40.

h'avecross tubes 41 and 42on their inner ends respectively; I

One end of the housln has a water inlet 43.normally closed by a valve 44 yieldingly held inclosed position by a spring 45. The

inlet 43 opensinto a cylinder 46 from which a passage 47' leads through the wall or the body of the housing to a valve-controlled outlet 48, theiconstruction and arrangement of which is the same as thatshown in Fig. 14.

A piston 49in the cylinder 46 is normally held'at the end of its stroke toward the valve 44, thusholdingair under compression in the cylinder 46 and preventing the valve 44 from opening. The rod 50 of the piston is strapped to an eccentric 51' on a rotary rod or shaft 52 in acompartment 53 formed in the housing. This shaft 52 is normally locked or latched inposition to hold the piston 49 toward the valve 44, as explained. A pinion 54 on the" rod orshatt 52 meshes with a large gear 55 rotative on a shaft '56. A spring 57 has one end attached to the gear 55 and the opposite end att'ached'to the shaft 56. The'outert'end of the-shaft 56 is provided with a key engageable p0rtion58 whereby the shaft may be rotated to wind the spring 57 while the gear '55 is held from turning as presently explained. A ratchet device 59 prevents the shaft 56 from being rotated by the spring 57, but per initssaidshatt 56 tobe turned'in a direction to'widen the-springxTh'e gear 55meshes with a pinion 60 attached to "a spindle 61 which extends through the outer side wall of the compart1nent53 and has a disc 62- attached thereto and provided with a notch or recess 63 near its periphery. -Alatch'64 is meunted-on a pivot 65 and actuated by a spring 66 to engage in the notch or recess 63 and thus prevent the spring :67 from operat-- ing the mechanism. WVhen itis desired to admit water to the compartment 37 the latch 64 is released from the disc 62 thus permitting the spring 57 to operate the mechanism wherebythe piston 49 is moved in a direction away from the'valve 44, thus reducing'the pressure at the inner side of the va-lve'44 below the "outside pressure sufficiently toperunit the valve 44 to be opened by pressure of water against said valve. Smce the package 38, when comblned with water, forms a gas it is apparent-thatgas will be generated in the compartment 37 as a result of the ad'- j mission of water into said compartment.

After the devlce has been used the spring '57 may be rewound and the mechanism latched in proper operative position wherein the piston 49. is near the valve 44 preventing said valve from opening in normal use until the latch 64' is released.

Fromth'e foregoing it is apparent that my i invention is applicable to many uses and that the construction and arrangement of the parts maybe varied widely as required by the chi ferent uses to which it is to be a p plied; I

5 contemplate such variationsand do not-restrict myseli: unessentially many particular,

but what I claim and desire tosecure by Letters Patent 1s} 1 i i 1'. A devlce of the character described comprising a compartment containing a solid substance combinable with water to form a gas and having a watermlet passage, a valve controlling said'passage, means for-holding,

rue

2. A device of the character.describedlcomprising a compartment. containing a solid substance combinable with. Water to form a gas and having a Water inlet passage, a valve controlling said passage, means for holding said valveclosed, a device movable to position to permit said valve to open under pressure of Water to admit Water to said compartment, means for conducting gas from said compartment, and an inflatable compartment for receiving the gas.

3. A device of the character described comprising a belt including elastic and non-elastic sections, means for holding the nonelastic sections in a relationship to prevent extension of the elastic section, a device for releasing said means to permit extension of the elastic section of the belt, an inflatable gas compartment attached to the belt, and means for generating and admitting gas to said compartment.

4. A device of the character described com-.

' maximum.

5. A device of the character described comprising a compartment, a solid substance in said compartment. combinable With Water to form gas, means for admitting Water to opposite ends of said compartment to combine With said solid substance to create gas, and tubes opening into the opposite ends of said compartment for conducting gas from said compartment.

6. A. device of the character described comprising a gas receiving compartment, a gas generating compartment having a Water inlet passage, a solid substance in said generating compartment combinable with Water to form a. gas, a valve controlling said passage, a device movable'to position to prevent said Valve from opening under pressure of Water below a desired maximum and also movable to position to permit said valve to open under said pressure of water to admit Water to said generating compartment, and means for conducting gas from said generating compartment to said receiving compartment.

7. A device of the character described comprising a gas receiving compartment, a gas generating compartment having a Water in let passage, a solid substance in said generating compartment.combinablexwith Water tov form a gas, a. valve. controlling said. passage, adevice movable to positionto prevent said valve from: opening under pressure, out

Water below a desired maximum and also. movable to position to permit" said. valve to, open under said pressure. of water: toiadmit. Water to said generating compartment, means,

for conducting gas from said generating compartment to said receiving compartment, and means for preventing pressure of gas in said generating compartment from exceeding a predetermined maximum. 7

8. A device of the character described comprising a gas receiving compartment, a gas generating compartment having a Water inlet passage, a solid substance in said generating compartment combinable With water to form a gas, a valve controlling said passage, a device movable to position to prevent said valve from opening under pressure of Water below a desired maximumand also movable to position to permit said valve to open under said pressure of Water to admit Water to said generating compartment, means for conducting gas from said generating compartment to said receiving compartment, a manually operative valve for preventing pressure of gas in said generating compartment from exceeding a predetermined maximum, and automatic means for preventing pressure of gas in said receiving compartment from exceeding a predetermined maxi- ]Tlum.

9. A device of the character described comprising a housing, a gas generating compartment in said housing, a cylinder in said housing having a Water inlet passage and having a passage for admitting Water to said compartment, a valve controlling said inlet passage, and a piston in said cylinder movable to a position to maintain pressure against said valve to prevent said valve from opening under a definite pressure of Water.

10. A device of the character described comprising a housing, a gas generating compartment in said housing, a cylinder in said housing having a Water inlet passage and having a passage for admitting water to said compartment, a valve controlling said inlet passage, a piston in said cylinder movable to a position to maitain pressure against said valve to prevent said valve from opening under a definite pressure of Water, and means for moving said piston to a position to relieve pressure against said valve and permit said valve to open under said definite pressure of Water.

11. A device of the character described comprising a belt, a gas generating compartment on said belt having a Water inlet passage, a valve mounted in said passage, means for preventing opening of said valve by definite pressure of Water from the outside, and a device for operating said means to permit said valve toy open under" said definite pressureof Water from the Outside. 12. A devlce of the character descr be comprising a belt, a. gas generating eompsirtv lnent on said belt having it Water inietrpas- 'sage', a valve'mounted in said passage, means for preventing opening of said valve by defif nite "pressure of water from the voutside, a y

deviee for operating said means tofperinit sald valve to open undersald definite vpressure 'of-water from the 0uts1de,.end means for preventing thepressure Of gasin said compartment iron'l exceeding a "predetermined maX1n1um. I I i y 7 STEPHEN 0; LANGE. 

